Monday, December 3, 2012

Haunted Places in Flagstaff, Arizona

1926 Railroad Station1 E Route 66The BrakemanVisitor Center workers have reported feelinglike they were being watched as they climbedthe stairs to the upper floor of the station.Others have described the stairs as having an eerie or coldfeeling to them. Strange things often happen here but are normallyglossed over by the staff, such as locked doors that haveoften been found unlocked when the janitorial staff comes inthe night. A member of the staff here after hours reported seeingand hearing people in the locked and secure building, onlyto find no one was around when he went to check.Prior to 1926, when the station was built, the railroad trackswould have run right through the middle of the building.On these original tracks, in an unfortunate but very commonaccident, a brakeman was killed—crushed between the couplingsof two boxcars. Is it possible that this brakeman is stillhere at the spot where his life was cut short?

Flagstaff Public Library300 W Aspen AvenueEmerson the GhostBuilt in 1982, the Flagstaff Public Libraryis a new building in the downtown area.The library, however, is built on the site ofthe old Emerson School, a formidably built 2-story buildingwith a deep cellar beneath. The school stood in Flagstaff from1896 until it was condemned in 1980, and was torn down tomake way for the library building.The story goes that a custodian at the school killed his family,then went to the school and committed suicide there. Manyhave claimed to see his shadowy figure climbing a long-loststairway to the upper floor of a building that is no longerthere, only to disappear when he reaches the top. Doors openand close on their own, and strange noises are often reportedthroughout the building. Librarians have often accused nightjanitors of moving books, papers, and other supplies duringthe night—charges the janitors vehemently deny.Milligan House—Flagstaff CVB323 W Aspen AveNoises and FeelingsThis building was the home of JC Milligan,former Flagstaff Justice of the Peaceand owner of a local brickyard. Later the house served asapartments, and now serves as the office of the FlagstaffConvention and Visitors Bureau. Past employees andtenants of the house report they often felt an unsettlingpresence late at night. The presence seemed to originate inan upstairs office. One former CVB employee speculatesthat this was the bedroom of Mabel Milligan, who diedunexpectedly in 1923 and may continue to habituate herhome. Footsteps are heard at night on the stairs and acrossthe wooden floors, although the doors are locked and noone could be in the building. Often these noises are accompaniedby freezing cold, and the unmistakable feelingof being watched. The spirit does not seem to be hostile orangry, but is just there.Coffee Maker PranksThe spirit apparently is particular about the kitchen. Oneprevious employee reports that no fewer than three separatecoffee makers in the kitchen area refused to work properly,boiling over and spilling coffee grounds all over. Thinkingthat maybe the cause was faulty equipment, staff replacedthe coffee makers with more expensive brands, only to havethe same problems. Finally the coffee maker was placed in adifferent spot and the problem stopped.A Helpful SpiritNot only is the ghost of Milligan House benign, she canoften be helpful. An employee tells of a time that she wasto be at the Visitor Center for an evening event. She wasin the back office doing some last minute work on thecomputer, and lost track of the time. She began to feel thecold feeling, and to hear movement in the hallway. Shewent to investigate, and found no one there. Upon returningto her office, found a picture of the Visitor Center onher keyboard—a reminder that she had an appointment,and needed to get moving.

Doris Harper-White Playhouse11 W Cherry AvenueThree Old GhostsThis site, once a private home, a boardinghouse, then the site of the Flagstaff Public Library, became the home of the FlagstaffTheatrikos Theatre Company in the early 1990s. Reportsof strange happenings began shortly after the public librarymoved into the building. Librarians refused to go into certainareas of the basement after dark, reporting that there was avery malevolent feeling there. The library would often havecold areas, and many times odd things would happen withthe lights and with the thermostat.Theatrikos staff and performers have reported seeing threeseparate entities in the building. Two have come to be notonly accepted, but revered by the staff, but the third theywould just as soon be rid of.The Kindly Looking Old LadyThis apparition has often been seen in theauditorium during rehearsals, only to vanishupon second glance. She never says or doesanything; she just sits and enjoys the show.The Old Man inthe BasementThe second reported apparition is an olderman who simply stays in the basement area,minding his own business. He wandersabout, oblivious to all around him, until hedisappears as quietly as he appeared.The Angry Young ManWhile the other spirits are quiet and benign, the last of theapparitions most definitely is not. The ghost of a very angryyoung man stays near the north stairway to the basement. Hehas a history of violent behavior, and has scared the wits outof many of the staff. It is very possible this is the spirit of aman who, in the late 1970s, hung himself from the loadingdock at the top of the stairway—this apparition was neverreported until after this event took place.Orpheum Theater15 W Aspen AvenueThe Balcony SpecterThe Balcony Specter is a shadowy figurethat stays on the old balcony. A janitor whowas cleaning late at night when the theaterwas closed reported that he watched as adark figure moved back and forth throughthe aisles of the balcony. Knowing that no one else should bein the building he went to investigate, only to find that hetruly was alone in the building—there was no one there thathe could find.Downstairs PhenomenaEmployees tell of a time at the concession stand, while thelast show was playing for the evening, they watched in amazementas a roll of paper towels hanging on the wall started tounravel onto the floor. One of them stopped it, but when helet go it began to unroll of its own volition. The men’s roomhas had phenomena reported as well. Employees and patronsalike have said that as they would walk into the room theycould sense that something was there. Others would reportfeeling strange, electric vibrations in the room. One eveningafter closing, several employees reported that suddenly thetoilets began flushing and the sinks started running full blast.While nobody is sure who or what might be causing thedisturbances here, there are rumors. Near the projectionroom at the very top of the balcony, there is a crawlspace witha ladder that leads to the roof near the marquee. The story isthat a man committed suicide there, but there is absolutelyno evidence to support this.

Weatherford Hotel23 N Leroux StreetThe Zane Grey Ballroom Complete with its stained glass windowsand antique Brunswick bar from Tombstone,The Zane Grey Ballroom is saidto be the site where at least one of theWeatherford’s ghosts appears most often.In this beautiful ballroom, the ghostly woman has often beenspied floating across the room. On other occasions,

The NewlywedsA bride and groom reportedly haunt Room54. According to the legend, the honeymooningcouple was murdered in this roomin the 1930s. Most people report eerie feelingsor glances of figures. On one occasionan employee staying in the hotel awoke inthe middle of the night to find the brideand groom sitting on the foot of the bed. Today the room hasbeen turned into a storage closet, but that hasn’t stopped theghostly pair, as guests have often reported seeing the coupleentering and leaving the room.Staff often report hearing their names being called out by anunseen spirit while on the fourth floor as well as feeling a presencestanding behind them. On the ground floor, the lightover the pool table seemingly sways of its own accord, andthe sounds of whispers and voices come from the empty bar.Employees also have been reported to refuse to step on a spotof bare earth in the basement, and say that they get cold eeriefeelings from that spot.

Monte Vista Hotel100 N San Francisco StreetStrange HappeningsTo this day any spirits you may encounterhere seem to be more playful thanotherwise, causing all sorts of strangehappenings. Spirits will make noises, movefurniture around, make sudden appearances,ring the lobby telephone, and knock things over. An entirehallway has its lights unscrewed and/or completely removedon a regular basis. In the cocktail lounge a phantom couple informal dress is often witnessed dancing and laughing. Thereis often the very disturbing sound of a baby crying in thebasement—this occurrence has spooked many of the staff tothe point that they refuse to go there. Often visitors and staffhave seen the ghost of a small boy wandering the halls, lookingas if he is speaking to his mother—some people say theyhave actually had physical contact with this apparition!The Phantom BellboyIn Room 210 guests will report hearinga knock on their door and a voice callingthat room service has arrived. When theguests open the door, they find nobody isthere, and nobody is in sight. This ghostwas first reported by John Wayne. Othershave reported seeing the wispy apparitionof a young woman wandering through the halls near thisroom. The hotel avoids putting guests with pets in this roombecause dogs tend to go crazy and tear up the room.The Ladies of the NightReportedly there were two prostitutes from Flagstaff’s old redlight district who were murdered in room 306 in the 1940s.For some reason the men who had hired the ladies grewangry with the women, and threw them out of the windowto their abrupt and violent deaths. Now many guests reporta disturbing feeling that they are being watched while in thatroom. They will wake up in the night, and that feeling will beso strong that they cannot get back to sleep. Male guests havereported feeling like they are being smothered—as if someonehas put a hand over their mouth and throat. These two ladieshave also been seen in the pool hall and in the lounge.The Old WomanIn room 305 is the ghost of an old womanwho used to sit in a rocking chair by the windowfor hours, just watching the town below.This is reportedly the most active room inthe hotel. People have reported seeing the oldwoman sitting in the chair, but many alsohave reported seeing the chair rock by itself.Cleaning staff report that if they move the chair to another spot,it always manages to move itself back to the window.The Bank RobbersThe cocktail lounge is also the site of eerie phenomena. Membersof the staff report that they are often greeted by a voice that says“hello” or “good morning” when they open the bar each day. Barstools and drinks will sometimes move by themselves, and someguests have said they feel an unsettling presence while having adrink in the lounge. Many staff members think they know who isresponsible. In the 1970s three men robbed a bank near the hotel.The men laid low in the Monte Vista Lounge, casually drinkingand hoping to be left unnoticed. One of the robbers was shot duringtheir getaway, and his injury was apparently more serious thanthey thought. The man died in the lounge before he could finishhis first drink. Today, many staff and guests feel that this dead robberis one of the spirits still haunting this historic old building.